New controls at city arenas save energy and keep fans warm [Video]

The City of Winnipeg has a plan to keep the ice cool at the right time and hockey parents comfortable during games.

New ice plant control systems have been installed at 11 of the 12 city-operated arenas. This allows for automatic controls of ice temperatures from a central location in each building.

Until now, pumps circulated all the time during the hockey and skating season to ensure the ice was in good shape. Now the new system has sensors on the ice surface that gauge ice temperature and adjust it based on use, instead of the pumps continuously running.

Glen Stefanyshen said the city has downloaded the daily hockey schedules.

“We’re able to set back our ice temperature if there’s no one using it, and then based on the schedule, we’ll turn on the systems so it will cool the ice in time for the activities,” said Stefanyshen, the superintendent …